Disteiot of colijmbta



D. P. WIRT. Pence Post.

No. 238,013. Ptented Feb. 22,1881.

FIG.

FIG. Il.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHD?. WASHINGTVDN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

DANIEL P. WIRT, OF OAK GROVE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RANDALLHAGNER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,013, dated February22, 1881.

Application filed May 24, 1879.

.To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL I). WIE'I, of Oak Grove, Westmoreland county,Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts, ofwhich the following is a specication.

My invention is a post constructed of terracotta or vitreous material,with a hollow body, enlarged base, and anchoring-piece, as fully :todescribed hereinafter, so as to be unaffected by frost, preserve itsposition kin the earth, and .support the wires constituting therewiththe f' fence.

In the drawings, forming a part of this speci` I5 cation, Figure I is anelevation of a fence, showin g one form in which my improved fen ce-`post may be made. Fig. Il is a longitudinal section of the post. 4

The post is molded or otherwise formed of 2o terracotta, porcelain,clay, or other like Inaterial of any suitable form, preferably hollow,with a circumferential iiange, a, at the lower end. The exterior of thepost has grooves e, and it may also be perforated at i, as shown. Thepost, after being molded, is hard baked or vitrifled in an oven orfurnace, and if necessary is then glazed, when it will be complete foruse.

Posts have been made of baked clay, as

3o shown in the patent of W. S. Mayo, September 17, 1861; but aredefective from the fact that the clay, being porous, absorbsmoisture,

which freezes, expands, and cracks the post. A glazed or vitrifled postwill not absorb moisture, and is more durable than metal, which rusts.V

As a glazed surface will not retain the wires lapped around the `postproperly in position,

I form in the face the grooves c, in which the wires are wound inpassing round the post, being thus retained in place. If necessary, thewire may also be passed through the openings fi, thus binding the wirefirmly to each post.

The flange a. prevents the post from rising from the effects of frost.

To anchor the post in the ground more rmly.

I use a conical anchor, b, buried in the ground below the post, andconnected by a rod, c, to the top of the post, as shown.

I do not claim a post provided with an anchoring-piece connected to theend thereof; but

I claim- The combination, in a fence-post, of the hollow vitreous bodyportion, having an extended 5 5 base, 60,' and an anchoring-piece, b,arranged below and connected to the post, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence of the two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL P. WIRT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM CLosE, H. A. HALL.

